After decades of neglect, agricultural extension and rural advisory services are at the center of global conversations about sustainable agriculture, resilient livelihoods, and inclusive growth. Whether the discussion is on reaching farmers at scale, covering the last mile, transforming smallholder systems, or digitizing public service delivery, we find that extension systems have a role to play.

But what do we really know beyond the buzz? The purpose of this event is to learn about novel practices in extension and the measurement of their impact, and to chart a course for the future of extension based on both innovation and evidence.

The meeting will showcase new research on the impact of extension and advisory services, recommend design elements for extension programs and policies, explore solutions to increase the inclusiveness of extension – especially with respect to women and youth – and identify future needs for both extension system programming and evaluation.

The event will include an exciting mix of practitioners, researchers, funders, and policymakers presenting in topical panels. Participants will discuss (a) what are the implications for implementing evidence-based recommendations in more countries or at a greater scale? (b) how will we convince decision makers to implement successful approaches? and (c) what are the research priorities for tomorrow’s extension services, based on existing evidence and on new developments in advisory services?